"Balancing the well-being of residents and their recovery needs with possible risk factors were determining considerations by the board to suspend programming and close Talbot House for the foreseeable future."

Gainer wouldn't say why the new director resigned.

"On Monday of this week we were informed by the interim executive director that he had decided to resign, that was at 11 o'clock in the morning, and we were informed that he had decided to leave that position within two hours," he said Wednesday.

Gainer said it was hard telling residents they had to leave.

"They were disappointed. They were saddened. They were angry. They felt betrayed by the system.They felt concerned about each other. They felt concerned about their own recovery," he said.

Talbot House is a 53-year-old facility that normally has 18 residents who stay for between three and six months while participating in addiction recovery programs.

John Gainer says residents were upset when told they had to leave Talbot House.

The board said it is working with the Department of Community Services to relocate the current residents to recovery facilities elsewhere in the province.

Some will transition back into their communities if possible, according to Gainer.

A Community Services review is expected to be complete early next month.

Gainer said any decisions about the future of the Talbot House will be made then.

Talbot House received $420,000 from the Department of Community Services last year.